Overheard @ The Open Mic #14
“You can touch more hearts than a sonogram.”
February?!? Already??! Well then, Happy Black History Month!
Idk about you, but for me, January flew by! I started 2026 STRONG with 3 artist events in the first 4 days, but alas, that lifestyle feels unsustainable. Still, it’s been a great month for creating and refining. I’m grateful for the mics I’ve touched, the space I’ve held and the creatives I’ve met. Just yesterday a friend dropped news that she’s moving to LA. In our goodbye (see you later), she revealed that The Garden Open Mic was her first time sharing, and a pivotal support in her artistic journey. It’s easy to forget impact; reminders are deeply appreciated.
Off stage, I’ve set a 2026 intention of APPLYING more- magazines, workshops, residencies, fellowships, etc. Substack has been an abundant source for such openings (see end for recommendations). I applied to 6 different opportunities last month and was already accepted to one- teaching a poetry workshop. I was rejected by 3, but somehow that’s been motivating. I look forward to consistently putting myself out there. As such, my second poetry collection- Golden Teachers in The Hood- is almost out. Anticipated release is less than a month away and I’m planning a launch party at BloomBars (for DMV people). Keep your eyes peeled for the tour details. Until then you can sign up for pre-order here.
Cover Design by Jonathan Wright
For all newcomers, this monthly segment features some of the top lines overheard in creative spaces around the DMV. I can’t credit each quote to its author, but I can say none of them are my intellectual property. Maybe a line shifts your antennas to receiver mode. Maybe a line exposes you in the most uncomfortable of ways. Maybe a line inspires you to start sharing in new ways. I simply ask that if a specific quote resonates, you leave a comment.
Here are January 2026’s Top 10 Overheard @ The Open Mic:
~ “I’m 5’8” but 6 feet keeps calling my name.” - Brasi
~ “I don’t want another poem about black pain, but the world won’t stop giving me new material.” -Ephraim Nehemiah
~ “How can this be a free country when everything got a price on it.” - BigGeeDaPoet
~ “You didn’t escape the chains; you just bedazzled your oppression.”
~ “Sometimes you settle for an island when you were meant to covet continents.” - Ife
~ “My dreams gonna end up outliving me.” - Savage Writer
~ “Even in my father’s vanishing act, I become his standing ovation.” - Matt Capone
~ “And then my phone rings and peace is fleeting.” - Maya Writes
~ “I pray you practice persistent presence.” - Kelsey
~ “The past is an underused tool.”
What a perfect segway! Here’s a poem I just penned today called Incognito.
I close the tab and it never happened the bloodshed the oppression the exploitation centuries of fatigue and struggle it can all be cleared with a click (not the acts nor the residue but the memory) such is the convenience of erasure so why this shame why this guilt why do we keep going incognito?
Writing Opportunity Resources:
Lesser Known Literary Journals
Creative Writing Opportunities
Thank you for taking time to read and support this page. May the ink gods be ever in your favor! Subscribe to stay tuned for the next Overheard @ The Open Mic (February Edition). Which line resonated with you the most?